Aasai

Top central government officials on Tuesday held separate meetings to save Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja from a push for his removal by ward representatives. Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ward representatives suspended the plan to remove Governor Sakaja for 30 days following the intervention of party leader Raila Odinga. At State House, Nairobi, President William Ruto extended the governor’s term by persuading UDA MCAs to work with him. 

After a day-long consultation led by President Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga, Nairobi MCAs dropped the motion to impeach Governor Sakaja. Aladwa, ODM Nairobi Party Chairman. Nairobi MCAs presented their concerns, which they said were sufficient to impeach Sakaja. The ward representatives, who had already signed enough petitions, accused the governor of sidelining them and implementing development projects without consultation.

 MCAs questioned how the Ward Development Fund has been used, as well as the criteria used to select projects and award bursaries in the county. The Nairobi Governor, who was present at both meetings, promised to involve the county assembly through consultations in the running of county affairs. Governor Sakaja said each ward in Nairobi has received its adequate share of the fund, with a total of development projects worth Ksh.715.8 million in the 2022/2023 financial year, Ksh.925.6 million in the 2020/2021 financial year and Ksh.202 million in the 2024/2025 financial year. 

On the issue of bursary allocation, Sakaja told the acrimonious meetings that his administration allocated Ksh.1 billion for over 119,000 students in the 2022/2023 financial year, but the Controller of Budget stopped the release of bursary money by governors last year.

 "We have said as ODM leaders we have given Sakaja one month to sit down with the MCAs to understand how they will work," said Aladwa. At State House, Nairobi, President Ruto, when he met with UDA MCAs, warned them against pursuing the motion to oust them, saying it would hamper service delivery in the city. President Ruto urged the Nairobi leadership to embrace more consultation as they discharge their duties.

"It is a shame when all the voters of Nairobi are crying because they are getting poor services, then the handshake brothers can get eight hours to discuss an incompetent person instead of spending eight hours listening to the pleas of the people of Nairobi," he said. "It is a shame. It has already been decided that Sakaja will be a one-term governor. 

Whether he survives or not in the next 10 months, he will be out. Either way, the people of Nairobi have decided that he must go." The MCAs had already prepared more than 20 charges and were gathering members to sign in support of his removal. They said the reasons for his removal were too many, and members had united to push the process forward.